Based on the law of conservation of energy, how can we reasonably improve a machine’s ability to do work?

Machines simply transmit mechanical work from one part of a device to another part. A machine produces force and controls the direction and the motion of force, but it cannot create energy. A machine's ability to do work is measured by two factors. These are (1) mechanical advantage and (2) efficiency. 

Distance^2= yellow line ^2 (see picture) = 30^2 + 49^2so distance = squareroot of (300^2 +49^2)i dont know if this is how to solve it, but i cnt think of another way